I currently have a 4x4 vegging table that has the plants sitting in it like yours without the floating hydroton.
The tray isn't completely full of pots so I am starting to see roots growing outside the bottom of the pot and extending out into the tray. Is this going to stunt the progress of the plants?
If they don't like light why would they grow out into a lighted area and not grow more toward the dark area underneath the pot?
I plan on flowering in another empty tray in another room.
I don't want to put hydroton in the trays and the thought of making a cover doesn't thrill me either because the number of flowering plants will always fluctuate with time and I have more than one flowering tray.
Any suggestions?